Even though funding shortfalls have made it uncertain when commuter trains will reach Healdsburg, Windsor and Cloverdale, SMART is planning express bus service to link those communities with the train in Santa Rosa. One board member predicted the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit agency would start construction north of Santa Rosa in two to three years.

Healdsburg city officials learned Tuesday that they face a $26 million gap for funding public employee retirements, a situation described as “bleak” and “grim” by City Council members. In what Mayor Gary Plass said was a painful, but necessary exercise, the council heard the analysis by Joe Nation, a Stanford professor and former North Bay assemblyman, whom they invited to scrutinize city’s pension plans.

In a move compared forgiving a family debt, Healdsburg officials are taking steps to write off $4.8 million the city owes its redevelopment agency. One is for $2.1 million the city borrowed to lease the old Foss Creek school from the school district to use as a city community center.

Healdsburg City Council members Tuesday reaffirmed their intent to fix up a historic Russian River bridge even though funding for the project remains uncertain. Last week, a court decision erased more than $1 million in redevelopment money anticipated for the project.

Healdsburg City Hall apparently has convinced state and federal officials to spend millions of dollars to fix up a historic bridge over the Russian River. Despite the initial qualms of Caltrans and federal highway engineers, Healdsburg officials obtained tentative approval for an approximate $12 million to $13 million upgrade of Healdsburg Memorial Bridge.

A high-profile controversy over a dog’s suitability for adoption, coupled with turmoil on the Healdsburg Animal Shelter’s board of directors, has caused donors to balk, further jeopardizing completion of a $3.5 million shelter. Dissension among shelter directors, highlighted by their numerous resignations, has caused donors to question funding the new state-of-the-art shelter, which needs $250,000 before it can be occupied.

City and county officials in Sonoma County cut 453 jobs and $32.2 million in wages last year, according to an analysis of a new database released by the state controller’s office. The club of public employees earning $100,000 or more also shrank. See which government agencies cut the deepest — and search the database to see how much workers earned in your town.

Gary Plass is the new mayor of Healdsburg. He assumes the post at a challenging time, as the city’s deficit has deepened and it seeks to wrest concessions from employee groups. “We have to do something. It’s not sustainable at this point,” Plass said.

It’s going to cost a little more in Healdsburg to have your trash hauled away. The City Council on Monday night unanimously approved a garbage rate increase of approximately 3 percent for residential customers.

The Occupy movement came to the heart of Wine Country Saturday with a small contingent of protesters at Healdsburg Plaza denouncing corporate greed and capitalist excess. A half-dozen “Occupy Wall Street @ Healdsburg” members stood for a couple of hours Saturday afternoon, quietly displaying their message to pedestrians and passing motorists.